Doughnut machine



Aug. 26, 1924. 11,506,232

D. P. FLEMING DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Sent. 28, 19:2 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Aug. 26 1924.

D. P. FLEMlNG DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Sent. 8, 19212 5 Sheets-Sheet 217.1? -h NQQ KQ m Aug. 26, 1924. 1,506,232

D. P. FLEMING DOUGHNUT MACHINE Fild Sept. 28, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Jazzy/a; 1 5% I key Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOUGLAS 1. FLEMING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DOUG-HIN'U'I MACHINE.

Application filed September as, 1922. Serial No. 591,156.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS P. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, of Illinois,

Improvement in Doughnut Machines,

in the county of Cook and State have invented a new and useful which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to doughnut machines and the like, and is fullydescribed in the following specification and shown in the accompanyingFigure 1 is a embodying the Fig. 2 is a through the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarge drawings, in which:

front elevation of a machine invention;

longitudinal vertical section (1 transverse vertical section on the line3-3 of Fi 2; v

I Fig. .4 is a partial enlargei longitudinal section on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3;

Fig. .5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on theline 5.-5 ofFig. 2;

Fi 6 is an enlarged detail of the gearing or driving the head-shaft ofthe conve or; and ig. of Fig. 6.

7 is a vertical section on the line 7-7 In the embodiment illustrated,the device comprises a tank 10 carried "upon suitable legs 11.

A small chain conveyor is located within the tank, having ahead-sprocket 12 ed upon the head-shaft 13, which is journalled insuitable bearings carried in the tank. 10. Two parallel chains 14 passover the head-sprockets and around the tailthence forward and undersprockets 15 and the idler-sprockets 16. The

Referring now by means of the pulley the motor 24.-

22 and belt 23 from tail and idler- As shown in Fig. 2, an overflow pipe25 is provided at the height thus be seen low thelard the tail and andthe lard level is maintained of this overflow pipe. It will that theshafts whi h are belevel, namely, the shafts of idler-sprockets 15 and16, do

not pass through the sides of the tank, and

the shaft 13 which does pass through the side of one tank is above thelard level.

Cleats 14 serve to connect the chains 14 and these carry fingers 14 forfeeding forward doughnuts as will later be explained.

A perforated plate 26 is provided at the tail end of the conveyor uponwhich the raw doughnut fal machine.

ls from the doughnut cutting Parallel strips 27 are placedlongitudinally over the conveyor and supported by tank is filled meansof cross-members 28 and 29. The

with lard to the lard level as indicated in Fig. 2 which is heated tothe proper temperature by any suitable means,

such" as burners 30;

It will be understood from the foregoing that when a raw doughnut dropsfrom the doughnut cutting machine a it will fall upon the perforatedplate 26 and that it will be properly chain is slowl timed so as to fallbetween a pair of succeeding fingers 14". l

The motor 24 being in operation,

the y being driven forward at such a speed as to properly cook thedoughnut the time i t reaches the incline 31 which consists of aplurality of parallel strips car-- ried at the lower end by thetransverse member 32 and at the upper end by a transverse member whichis supported by means of posts 33, the

nalled upon the shaft 13. Incline also acts lower ends of which arejouras a drip for doughnuts after leaving the lard. ,As the cookeddoughnut travels forward, it passes around the curved strips 31 and isdropped down the chute 34. At the time the raw doughnut is dropped intothe hot lard it sinks until it rests upon the perfora plate'26 which,however, need be only. long enough to support the doughnut until itbegins to cook, at which time the and the doughnut has a tenddoughraises doughnuts are uniform as .59 livers to a; flue or 'anasuita lemeans,

ency to rise to the surface, but is held submerged by means of thelongitudinal strips 27 so that it cooks uniformly on all si es.

lieferring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the doughnut cutting machine consistssuitably supported above the tank 10 and having a passage 36 beneathwhich is preferabl shown as bifurcated so as to supply doughnuts to bothsides of the longitudinal partition 37 of the conveyor.

Each legof the bifurcated passage 36 terminates in a die 38 having acircular opening which is closely fitted by a valve 39 having a stem 40which is slidable in the bearing 41, which is formed in the side of thepassage. A helical spring 42 serves to normally hold the valve 39 withinthe die 38 so as to prevent dough in the passage 36 d fromflowingtherefrom. Abell-crank 43 is pivotally secured to the upper edgeof each valve stem 40 and is pivotall mounted on the pin 44, the outerend 0 the bellcrank having a cam follower 45, which engages the face ofa cam 46 which is ke ed on the shaft 47. This shaft is journalle inbearings 48 and 49, and has a sprocketwheel 50 keyed thereon which isdriven by means of the chain 51 and sprocket-wheel 52 from the -conveyortail-shaft 15.

The two cams 46 are so set that the valves 39 open and closesimultaneously The cam faces 46", beinga sheer drop so as to allow thevalves to close suddenly under the action of the springs 42, therebycausing the raw doughnut to be suddenly severed and thereby insure amore perfectl formed dlpugillinut and prevent it from c inging to t e'e.

The transverse bar 53 connects the .upper through the stem 54 of thevalve 55. As the valves 39 close the valve 55 is opened and permitsdough from the hopper 35 to flow down into the passage 36. As the valves39 open, however, the valve 55 is simulta neousl lowered until itbecomes closed at the fufiopen position of the valves 39.

The piston 56 is preferably in Fig. 2 and suitable weig ts 57 are placedon the piston. This arrangement insures a very uniformflow of the doughso that the to shape, size and weight, no matter' whether the hopper 35is nearly full or nearly empty. 4

A storage space 58 is provided above the tank 10, which may be utilizedfor storing doughnuts. This preferably communicates with the space abovelard level in the tank 10 and fumes from the tank 10 and from thi spaceare drawn out through the hood lay means of an exhauster 60'which dethelike and isdriven by such as a motor 61.

la Ihave shown and described certain of a hopper 35 placed on top of thedough within the hopper 35 as shown embodiments of my invention, it isto be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,'therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in theappended claims, inwhich it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the priorart.

at I claim as new and desire to secure' by Letters Patent is- 1. In adoughnut machine, a tank for holding lard, a conveyer in said tank, thetail end of which is submerged in. the lard, means adjacent the tail endof the conveyer for supporting raw doughnuts until they raisesufiiciently to float,

ropping raw doughnuts on said last mentioned means and means above theconveyor for holding said doughnuts submerged in the lard'for apredetermined distance of travel of the, conveyer.

2. In a doughnut machine, a tank for holdlng lard, a conveyer in saidtank, the tail end 'of which is submerged in the lard, a plate adjacentthe tail end of the conveyer for supporting raw doughnuts until theyraise sufli'ciently to float, means for dropping raw doughnuts doughnutssubmerged determined distance veyer.

3. In a doughnut machine, a tank for holdin lard, a conveyer in saidtank, the tail en of which is submerged in the lard, a plate adjacentthe tail end of the conve er for suppiorting raw doughnuts until tlieyraise s ciently to float, means for dro ping raw doughnuts on said late,and means above the conveyor for hdiding said doughnuts submerged in thelard for a predetermined distance of travel of the conveyer, saidconveyer consisting of two parallel chains-having bars passing over thetop of said plate and fingers carried by the bars for advancing thedoughnuts.

4. In a doughnut machine, a tank for holding lard, a conveyer in saidtank, the tail end of which is submerged in the lard, a plate adjacentthe tail end veyer for sup ortin they raise droppin raw doughnuts onsaid plate and strips p aced longitudinally over the conveyerv forholding saidv doughnuts subin the lard for a preof travel of the conrawdoughnuts until means for on said plate, and I means above the conveyorfor holding said of the concient y to float, means for Y merged in thelard for a predetermined disand fingers carried by the bars foradvancing the doughnuts.v

5. In a doughnut machine, a for. holding lard, a conveyer in said tank,the

tail end of which is submerged in the lard,

el chains hava plate adjacent the veyer they raise su droppin raw stripsveyer' merge taupe 'rtin cient y to 1 doughnuts on for sup tail end ofthe eonraw doughnuts until oat, means for said plate, and

p aeed longitudinally over the confor holding said doughnuts subd in.the lard for a pre of t 'avel of determined disthe conveyor, saidconveyer consisting of two parallel chains having bars passing over thetop of said plate and fingers carried by ing the doughnuts,

the bars for advancsaid means for dropdoughnuts being timed so as todrop of fingers.

DOUGLAS P. FLEMING.

